What’s Worth Watching: ‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’, ‘American Idol’, ‘NCIS’ and more for Tuesday, April 5
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (10/9c, FX): It was one of those moments that you remember exactly where you were when the verdict was read. Remarkably, while you know the outcome, that doesn’t make the conclusion of this endlessly fascinating docu-drama miniseries any less riveting. Rev up the Emmy campaigns for Sarah Paulson (Marcia Clark), Courtney B. Vance (Johnnie Cochran) and Sterling K. Brown (Christopher Darden) as they sweat out and then react to the verdict. However you may feel about the defendant (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), the spotlight this case put on the relationship between the police and the black community remains relevant today.
American Idol: American Dream (8/7c, Fox): Before the final coronation of one last Idol on Thursday, during an all-star grand finale, a 90-minute look back at the phenomenon that was American Idol, with Ryan Seacrest, past and present judges and former Idol winners and contestants reflecting on the glory days of a show that once captivated seemingly all of America. Idol never truly recovered from the departure of Simon Cowell (which led to the unfortunate arrival of The X Factor), but he’s back with original judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson to share stories about the show at its peak.
NCIS (8/7c, CBS): As fans prepare for the imminent departure of Michael Weatherly, this episode sets out to refute the notion that there can never be too much of Tony DiNozzo. The premise: Tony is a victim of identity theft, and multiple faux Tonys begin blackmailing senators. This is worse than a Gibbs smack on the head.
Inside Tuesday TV: Another reason to adore Jessica (Constance Wu) on ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat (8/7c): She was a Melrose Place fanatic back in the day, which prompts a cameo from Courtney Thorne-Smith. … Six Feet Under‘s Frances Conroy appears on ABC’s provocative The Real O’Neals family sitcom (8:30/7:30c) as dogmatic Grandma Agnes, who everyone is desperate to keep from learning about the parents’ divorce and young Kenny’s (Noah Galvin) sexuality, all Catholic no-nos. … Mark Burnett’s newest reality show, America’s Greatest Makers (9/8c, TBS), pits 24 teams of entrepreneurial visionaries in a competition to pitch a new tech idea and develop their product, with the winner taking home $1 million. … Rebecca (Jennifer Carpenter) joins the pill-popping club on CBS’s Limitless (10/9c) as the agent takes NZT for the first time, after learning new facts about her father’s murder and deciding to take justice into her own pharmaceutically enhanced hands.